The New Year
by Grey Alchemist
Summary: Season 1 AU... sort of. 2008 is dawning, and it's bringing with it a big surprise for Chuck and Sarah. One-shot.


_**Author's Note: **_Okay, this is another one-shot, but trust me, you wouldn't have wanted me working on my other stories the last couple of days. It seems a lot of people liked Friday's episode; I can't believe it got on the air. The way it defies logic is mind-boggling. I was going to write something along the lines of _Triple D_, but I decided to go for something nice this time. Think of this as a thank you for the support you have shown me and my stories:

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><p><strong>-0-<strong>

The New Year

_December 31, 2007_

_Washington, DC_

_7:00 pm_

He pulled out his phone and dialed his sister's number. Ellie was going to be so pissed at him...

"Hey, Ellie?"

"Chuck?" He could already sense the irritation in his sister's voice. "Where are you?"

"Uh... well—"

"Charles Irving Bartowski!" Chuck had to move the phone away from his ear. "Don't you dare tell me you're not coming home!"

"But it's not my fault!" Chuck protested. He was always amazed how his sister could make him feel like a little kid again. Although, she _was_ the closest thing he had to a parent, so that probably had something to do with it. "My boss wants me to start on the new firewall earlier than we planned," he said quickly. "I tried to get out of it but he's keeping all of us here."

"Put him on the line!"

Chuck had to nip this in the bud and quickly. "Ellie, come on," he replied. "How do you think it's going to look if my big sister fights my battles for me?"

"Chuck, it's New Year's Eve," she protested.

"I know and I'm sorry I can't make it this year but I have a job to do, sis," Chuck lamented. "You're a doctor; you know how it goes sometimes, and we did get to spend Christmas together."

He could hear Ellie sigh over the phone. "Fine. Just call us at midnight, okay?"

"Will do. Thanks for understanding, sis," Chuck readily agreed.

"No problem, little brother." Ellie paused for a moment then asked, "Chuck?"

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to be okay?"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean you should be with family tonight, instead you're going to be by yourself."

"Oh. Actually, some people from work are having a party, I'll probably go to that later," he replied cheerily. "Don't worry about me, Ellie."

"Really?"

"Absolutely."

"It's good to see you're making some new friends, Chuck."

"Ellie, please."

"I know... I know," she relented. "Don't forget to call me."

"I won't." Chuck was about to hang up before he remembered something else. "Oh! And let Morgan know, too, when he comes over!"

"Ugh... don't remind me. Bye, Chuck."

"Thank you," he said in a sing-song voice before his sister hung up.

Chuck let out a weary sigh before he walked back to his seat at the bar. "Can I have another?" He motioned at the bartender with his empty glass.

Well, Happy frickin' New Year to me, he thought as the bartender poured him another drink.

**-0-**

_December 31, 2007_

_Washington, DC_

_7:30 pm_

For the first time in years, Sarah Walker had been in the country for Christmas, despite her attempts otherwise. Over her protests, she had been pulled from her last assignment suddenly and the Director wouldn't give her a new mission until after the holidays. Who was he to tell her she needed some time off before her next assignment, especially during this time of year? She loathe the holidays...

Mercifully, the week was almost over. Just a few more hours and she could put the past year behind her and be on her way to her next job.

She hadn't been to that bar in years but she was out of alcohol and it wasn't worth a trip to the store when she was going to be leaving the next day. Sarah paused to look through the window of the bar. It was half-empty. That suited her just fine; she didn't feel like being around any celebrations.

**-0-**

She walked in and took a seat at the end of the bar, making sure to leave plenty of room between her and the rest of the people. True to form, one of the guys sitting at the bar got up and walked over to her within thirty seconds of her sitting down.

"Hey, beautiful, buy you a drink?"

Sarah turned her glare on him. "Walk away."

"Whoa... whatever, lady..."

Moments later, Sarah could sense someone else approaching.

"Excuse me," he started before Sarah cut him off.

"Get lost," she said without bothering to look back at him.

Well, that wasn't the response Chuck was expecting. He'd only been gone a couple of minutes, and now this bitchy woman was in his seat. "Gladly," he responded dryly, "as soon as you hand me my drink."

"What?" His response caught Sarah by surprise. This time she looked back.

She found herself staring straight into his eyes, a disarming experience; Chuck would've happily let himself get lost in her deep blues.

He quickly shook off the brain-freeze and cursed his nerd DNA for being so prominent. "You're in my seat," he said. "That's my drink." He pointed to the glass resting against the wall.

"Huh?" Chuck's voice snapped Sarah back to reality. She followed his finger to the glass, a glass that had completely escaped her attention when she first sat down.

"I go to the restroom for a couple of minutes, I come back, and here you are," he explained. "Which is fine, I just need my glass and you can go back to... whatever it was you were doing." For a second there, he thought: maybe, but then decided she was a complication he didn't need.

Sarah regained her composure and handed him the glass. "Here," she said coolly.

"Thanks." Chuck bobbed his head. "Nice— never mind." Chuck turned around and walked away.

**-0-**

_December 31, 2007_

_Washington, DC_

_7:37 pm_

Five minutes later, Sarah took note of a couple of guys who were eyeing her. She knew it was inevitable they would drunkenly make their way over to her. She looked around the room and noticed Chuck sitting at a table by himself. If she wasn't going to be left alone, well, she would at least choose her company, and there was something about the lone man that intrigued her.

She gulped down her drink and asked for two more before she walked over to the table. She sat down across from Chuck.

"Hello, again."

Chuck looked up from his empty glass. "Oh, it's you. What? You want my table now?"

"Look, I apologize for earlier," she said. "I just wanted to be alone and I thought you were hitting on me."

"Someone thinks highly of herself," Chuck retorted.

Sarah offered him a deadpan look.

"Yeah, okay," Chuck conceded. Who was he kidding? She was a beautiful woman. She knew it, he knew it. "Apology accepted," he added. "But, if you want to be alone, why are you talking to me?"

"I do want to be left alone but that wasn't going to stop _them_," Sarah said as she pointed out the guys who now had a disappointed look on their faces.

"Ah, so now you're using me to get them to back off?"

Sarah offered a smile in response.

"Why should I go along with it?"

The bartender came up to the table and placed the two drinks Sarah ordered on it. She grabbed on for herself and placed the other in front of Chuck with an expectant gaze.

"Where are my manners? I'm Chuck," he said with a smile of his own. "And, you are?"

"Sarah," she said, returning his smile unconsciously. "Nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you, too... this time," Chuck replied.

**-0-**

_December 31, 2007_

_Washington, DC_

_7:50 pm_

"So... network security, huh?"

"Yeah," Chuck nodded. "It's nothing exciting, but it pays well," he shrugged. "What about you?"

"Me?" Sarah waved her hand dismissively. "I'm an efficiency expert. I go from office to office, city to city, making improvements to the way businesses are run."

"Wow... that's... something."

"Shut up."

Chuck chuckled. "Sorry, it's just, I thought _my_ job was boring."

**-0-**

_December 31, 2007_

_Washington, DC_

_8:15 pm_

"Well, the upgrade to our security system is really important."

"And why aren't you actually out with your co-workers?"

"They're okay, I guess, but they have their way of doing things, I have mine. We don't really talk outside the office."

"So, you lied to your sister?"

"She worries too much."

**-0-**

_December 31, 2007_

_Washington, DC_

_9:00 pm_

"_Nerd, _thank you very much."

"There's a difference?"

"Yes... yes, there is," Chuck argued.

**-0-**

_December 31, 2007_

_Washington, DC_

_9:36 pm_

"Nothing?"

Sarah shook her head.

"Okay, how about music?"

"Sorry."

"How's that possible?"

"Like I said: I travel a lot," she shrugged. "The job doesn't leave room for much else."

"Well, how about this?" Chuck stood up and pulled out his phone. "Do you mind?" He gestured towards the empty space next to her.

"Go ahead."

Chuck sat down next to her and pulled up his music library on his phone. "Prepare to be rocked," he said with a grin.

**-0-**

_December 31, 2007_

_Washington, DC_

_11:59 pm_

As the night wore on, Chuck and Sarah easily slipped into their own world. The rest of the bar ceased to exist. The large amounts of tequila and beer they ingested probably played a part in making that possible.

A loud chorus of voices drew them back. "TEN! NINE! EIGHT!"

They both looked around, surprised to see the bar was now packed with people celebrating the dawn of a new year.

"When did they get here?"

"I have no idea," Sarah replied, slurring a little. "Why are they counting down?"

Chuck looked at the television playing the Ball Drop in New York and remembered what day it was. "It's New Years Eve, remember?"

"Right," she nodded.

"TWO! ONE! HAPPY NEW YEAR!" The bar exploded with cheers. People started hugging and kissing each other.

Chuck and Sarah turned to look at each other. Chuck focused on her lips, he couldn't help it.

Sarah, normally in complete control of herself, would have put a stop to it, but the alcohol served to skew her logic just enough. She liked this guy and he obviously liked her: what the hell?

She took Chuck by the back of the head and began kissing him; he was more than happy to reciprocate.

**-0-**

_January 1, 2008_

_7:16 am_

The incessant buzzing finally forced Chuck to wake up. He could barely more. Everything was shrouded in a fog, opening his eyes was the last thing he wanted to do but he had to see what that buzzing was.

"Ah!" The light hit his eyes, making him immediately shut them. He tried to raise his arm to block the light but it wouldn't move. In a panic, he opened his eyes again to see what was wrong. He immediately froze.

What he found was the mess of blond hair attached to the _naked_ woman sleeping on top of him, also naked. He tried to think things through but, for the life of him, he couldn't come up with anything except one big blank.

She seemed to still be sound asleep. He didn't want to wake her and open up a can of awkward. The buzzing had stopped.

Chuck decided the best thing to do was just lay there for a while longer and try to remember what the hell he got himself into before he did anything else.

**-0-**

_January 1, 2008_

_8:00 am_

Slowly, things started coming back to Chuck. He remembered everything that happened at the bar; and, although he couldn't see her face, he was reasonably sure it was Sarah that was on top of him. Where they were or how they got there... that was still beyond his recollection.

What he did know was that he had to get to work soon... whether he liked it or not, he'd have to wake Sarah up.

"Sarah?" He tentatively began. "Hey, Sarah?"

"Mmm..." She began to stir.

"Time to wake up," he said as he gave a light squeeze with his free hand.

"No... don' wanna," she mumbled.

"Come on," Chuck gently insisted; but instead of waking up, Sarah just made herself more comfortable.

Chuck rolled his eyes and shook his head in disbelief.

She could keep sleeping if she wanted to, just not on top of him. He wrapped his arm around her and delicately rolled her onto the other side of the bed. He got out of bed and went around the room collecting his things. It was a mess. What the hell had gone on there? He really hoped he remembered at some point. He put his clothes on and checked his phone: 17 missed calls from Ellie. Crap. That was what the buzzing was: he had forgotten to call her. Well, she was already mad; he could deal with her later.

He had to go back to his place and get cleaned up for work, but he didn't want to leave without saying a word to Sarah. That wasn't the kind of guy he was. Of course, he also wasn't the kind of guy to forget a night he spent with a beautiful woman, but there it was...

He looked around for anything to write with but couldn't find anything. He knelt beside her sleeping form and whispered.

"Sarah?" he moved the hair from her eyes. "I have to go now..."

She really was beautiful. "I'm glad I met you." He placed a kiss on her forehead and headed for the door.

He decided that this one time he had no other choice; he would never see Sarah again. So it was probably better that she was asleep.

**-0-**

_January 1, 2008_

_Director Graham's Office_

_11:45 am_

The two sat in Graham's office discussing the mission. A mission they could finally start after months of delay.

"We've been preparing for this operation for a long time," remarked Graham.

"Yes, sir."

"That whole debacle with Larkin has some powerful people on edge," Graham continued.

"Yes, sir."

"It was dumb luck that Casey got the Intersect back. We can't afford for anything like that to happen again."

"About that: any word on Bryce?"

"Nothing yet." Graham looked at his agent intently. "Look, I know you two have history and you want to join the hunt but you have more important things to deal with."

"Yes, sir."

"Major Casey will be joining us shortly," Graham said. "In the meantime, I want you to meet your new partner." Graham reached for his intercom and buzzed his secretary.

"Yes, Director?"

"Send her in."

"Yes, sir."

The door to Graham's office opened and in walked his other agent.

Graham started with the introductions.

"Agent Walker, I'd like you to meet your new partner," Graham gestured to the man sitting on the chair who immediately stood up, "Agent Carmichael."

As soon as they laid eyes on each other, the surprise they each felt could not be kept from their faces.

Sarah's eyes narrowed a moment later, she was _pissed_.

Chuck had only one thought: Aw... hell.

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_**Author's Note: **_I hope you liked it. I'll soon get back to updating the other stories. We only have four weeks of _Chuck_ left, and I seriously hope the last two episodes just make everything worth it.


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